If you want your kids to earn allowance for chores, the right app depends on one question: do you want real money moving to a card, or a points system where you decide what the points are worth? This guide compares six chore and allowance apps for 2026, with current prices and who each one fits.
TL;DR: For chores paid in real money with a card, BusyKid ($48/year) and Greenlight (from $5.99/month) lead. FamZoo is best for teaching budgeting, and Homey teaches money without a card. If your kids are younger or you'd rather reward with screen time and outings (and sometimes cash), KidKarma keeps it to points and family rewards.
Quick Picks
- Best for chores paid in real money: BusyKid. $48/year covers up to five prepaid Visa cards, with saving, donating, and investing.
- Best kids' debit card with chores: Greenlight. Plans from $5.99/month for up to five kids.
- Best for learning to budget: FamZoo. IOU accounts or prepaid cards, with a family-bank setup.
- Best for money lessons without a card: Homey.
- Best for younger kids and non-cash rewards: KidKarma. Points your kids spend on rewards you choose, which can include cash if you want.
- Best if you also want screen time controls: S'moresUp.
Chore and Allowance Apps Compared
| App | Price (2026) | How kids get paid | Card | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BusyKid | $48/year, 30-day free trial | Real money, automatic allowance | Up to 5 prepaid Visa cards | Chores paid in cash, investing |
| Greenlight | From $5.99/month | Real money, chores and allowance | Debit cards for up to 5 kids | A full kids' bank account |
| FamZoo | $5.99/month, or $4.99/month paid yearly | IOU accounts or prepaid cards | Optional | Teaching budgeting |
| Homey | See the App Store listing | Allowance tracking and savings goals | No | Money lessons without a card |
| S'moresUp | Free core; Premium $9.99/month or $99.99/year | Points plus allowance tracking | No | Chores, screen time, and calendar in one |
| KidKarma | $4.99/month or $29.99/year, 14-day free trial | Points spent on rewards you choose | No | Younger kids, co-parents, non-cash rewards |
The 6 Best Chore and Allowance Apps
1. BusyKid - Best for Chores Paid in Real Money
Price: $48/year (about $4/month), with a 30-day free trial | Ages: 5-17
BusyKid turns chores into a real paycheck. It suggests chores and allowance amounts by age, which you can change, and can pay an allowance automatically. Kids can spend on a BusyKid prepaid Visa card, save, donate to charities, or buy real stocks and ETFs. One subscription includes up to five cards.
Pros: Low price for up to five kids, investing and giving built in, allowance suggestions by age Cons: Billed yearly, and some card fees apply (like ATM withdrawals)
2. Greenlight - Best Kids' Debit Card With Chores
Price: Core $5.99/month; Max $10.98, Infinity $15.98, Family Shield $19.98
Greenlight is a debit card and money app for kids, with chores and allowance included on every plan. Parents set spending controls, and higher plans add investing, cash back, and family safety features like location sharing. One subscription covers up to five kids.
Pros: Polished app, strong parental controls, savings rewards Cons: Chores are a secondary feature, and the useful extras sit on pricier plans
3. FamZoo - Best for Learning to Budget
Price: $5.99/month, or $4.99/month if you prepay 12 months
FamZoo runs like a family bank. Kids earn money for chores into IOU accounts (tracked balances you hold) or onto prepaid cards, then split it into spending, saving, and giving. It's one price for the whole family.
Pros: Deep budgeting tools, works with or without cards, one family price Cons: More of a finance app than a chore app, and the interface feels dated
4. Homey - Best for Money Lessons Without a Card
Price: Check the App Store listing for current plans
Homey connects chores to allowance and savings goals without handing your kid a card. It's a good fit if you want kids to see that money is earned before they're ready to spend it themselves. See our KidKarma vs Homey comparison.
Pros: Allowance and savings goals, no card needed Cons: Less focused on building chore habits
5. S'moresUp - Best for Chores Plus Screen Time
Price: Free core version; Premium $9.99/month or $99.99/year for new subscribers
S'moresUp combines chores, points, allowance tracking, a family calendar, and screen time controls. The free version covers the basics, and Premium unlocks features like advanced chore scheduling. See our KidKarma vs S'moresUp comparison.
Pros: Free core version, lots of features in one place Cons: Premium costs about three times as much as KidKarma paid yearly
6. KidKarma - Best for Younger Kids and Non-Cash Rewards
Price: $4.99/month or $29.99/year after a 14-day free trial | Ages: 2+
KidKarma doesn't move real money or issue cards. Kids earn points for chores, you approve with one tap, and they spend points on rewards your family picks: screen time, a later bedtime, a trip for ice cream, or cash if you decide a certain number of points is worth a few dollars. That makes it a good first step before a debit card, and it works from age 2. Two-Home Sync, on every plan, keeps one points balance across two homes.
Pros: Works for toddlers through teens, rewards aren't limited to cash, built for co-parents Cons: No card or real-money transfers; you hand over any cash rewards yourself
Points or Real Money: Which Works Better?
It mostly depends on age:
- Under 8: Points and small, immediate rewards work best. Young kids don't have a feel for money yet, and a card adds little.
- 8 to 12: A hybrid often works well. Kids earn points, and some rewards convert to cash at a rate you set. It's a gentle bridge to real money.
- Teens: Real money usually wins. A card they control feels like a paycheck, which suits teens who compare chores to a part-time job. See our guide to chore apps for teens.
Many families also keep basic "family member" chores unpaid and pay only for extra jobs. Our pros and cons of paying for chores covers both sides.
How to Set Up Chores and Allowance (With Any App)
- Decide which chores are paid. Everyday jobs like making the bed can be expected; bigger or extra jobs can earn money or points.
- Pick an amount. A common starting point is about $1 per year of age per week, adjusted for your budget and what the money has to cover.
- Pay on a fixed day. Consistency matters more than the amount. A late payday teaches kids the system isn't real.
- Split it. Encourage a spend, save, and give split so allowance teaches more than spending.
- Review every few months. Raise the amount and responsibility together as kids get older.
If your kids live in two homes, agree on the amounts and paid chores with your co-parent first. Our guide to a chore chart for two households covers how.
Is There a Free Chore and Allowance App?
Not really, if you want real money on a card; card apps charge a subscription to cover the banking. S'moresUp has a free core version with points and allowance tracking. BusyKid has a 30-day free trial and KidKarma has a 14-day free trial, so you can see how your kids respond before paying.
For more options, including apps without an allowance focus, see our best chore apps comparison.
